Jonsundell - Posted - 08/02/2024:  12:00:43

I generally cannot get the computer to produce the sound of my banjo on Zoom, neither with the built-in microphone or an external mic (Fifine). If I succeed using only the banjo, I can't get it to work while I'm singing. Can anyone help me figure this out?

A Drum On A Stick - Posted - 08/02/2024:  12:18:14

Often the issue is noise reduction. Does this help?

support.zoom.com/hc/en/article...KB0059985

Eulalie - Posted - 08/02/2024:  13:09:55

quote:

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Originally posted by Jonsundell

I generally cannot get the computer to produce the sound of my banjo on Zoom, neither with the built-in microphone or an external mic (Fifine). If I succeed using only the banjo, I can't get it to work while I'm singing. Can anyone help me figure this out?

All of us who teach online encounter this problem, and it turns out that Zoom is not very helpful in addressing the problem.  Plus, they tend to keep changing things around and demanding that you accept their ever-morphing terms of service, which basically enables them to extract more data every time you log on.

To optimize your session, you have to know about the "sound for musicians" option, found buried in the sound menu—and you will have to set this up at the start of every session.  Zoom default settings feature a filter that recognizes and boosts the voice while it minimizes background noise.  To the Zoom so-called engineers, music falls into the category of background noise. If you turn on the "sound for musicians" feature, you will actually be able to hear your instrument and that of your students, who will have to find and enable the same setting.

Good luck.

Jonsundell - Posted - 08/02/2024:  14:18:00

Thanks, Eulalie for your insights and suggestions. Unfortunately, I have always been using the original sound for musicians" settings. But it still doesn't let me hear the banjo. I ran across some guidance today, a little after I posted on Banjo Hangout. Here is a link: support.zoom.com/hc/en/article...KB0065231. I got someone from Dell to help me make the changes they suggested, and that did enable me to make the banjo heard. I don't know how long that will last.

jdeluke137 - Posted - 08/02/2024:  14:22:59

This is such a growing market now that you’d think some smart young computer guy into audio would seize the opportunity and create something expressly for music teachers with online students!

jack_beuthin - Posted - 08/02/2024:  14:32:39

quote:

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Originally posted by Jonsundell

Thanks, Eulalie for your insights and suggestions. Unfortunately, I have always been using the original sound for musicians" settings. But it still doesn't let me hear the banjo. I ran across some guidance today, a little after I posted on Banjo Hangout. Here is a link: support.zoom.com/hc/en/article...KB0065231. I got someone from Dell to help me make the changes they suggested, and that did enable me to make the banjo heard. I don't know how long that will last.

Yup, sometimes it can be a problem with the mic settings, not Zoom.  I had this happen with a student a couple weeks back. They switched to a different device and all was well.  I would add that if you think it is a Zoom issue, don't hesitate to contact them.  When the "original sound" issue cropped out back during the pandemic, I put in a ticket with Zoom and they actually transferred my issue to a senior engineer who worked with me until things were fixed.  I suspect that they had many complaints from musicians. To their credit, they took the issue seriously, they rolled out a fix quickly, and they even followed up with me later to make sure that the problem was solved.  How often do you get that in the tech world?  Zoom, like hearing aids, is optimized for human speech.  And just like hearing aids, there is a "music program" that is the work around. I am toggling back and forth with my hearing aids throughout the day, so the Original Sound feature in Zoom is just another switch to throw.

paulhealey - Posted - 08/02/2024:  18:01:10

I’m a student, not a teacher - but I take online lessons weekly and have for years. I prefer Skype. I never have to mess around with the sound settings. I can always hear my instructor and they can hear me - even if I’m just using my crappy built in mic and speakers on my circa 2010 Mac.

Plus, not that I have to directly pay for the software as a student, I think Skype is free.

I’m sure I just dated myself by extolling the virtues of Skype over Zoom. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to find my abacus so I can balance my ledger.

writerrad - Posted - 08/03/2024:  15:17:27

This is a good topic.

I think we need everything we can. I both take and give lessons on the banjo on Zoom. I also have given presentations and classes for Fiddle-Hell, Banjo-Quest, the Berkeley OTM Convention, and the Oakland Public Convervatory on Zoom, and have participated in a weekly old time music jam with friends in England and another folk and old time jam with other 70 and 80 year olds spread across the country each week. I have also had online birthday parties and participated in birthday parties with people from Switzerland to California playing music
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The problem with Zoom reflects that zoom was originally designed for the corporate world and not as a consumer product. It was designed to be used in an environment where all the setup and adjustment would be done by IT professionals organizing a meeting, and was setup with the idea that mainly business and technical talk would be exchanged. While it once had pretty good response for questions about it, it has seemed to be overwhelmed with growth and no longer can help. What makes matters worse is that Zoom keeps changing its configuration.


There is usually one person in each Zoom jam that I have participate in who has the gift to setting up and adjusting people so that they sound good.

Somewhere on my hard drive, I have the handout for setting up your Zoom when you are a presenter on Fiddle Hell which I have done now about 5 times. They seemed to have a lot of thoughtful technically experienced people in all that they do, and give good advice . I will try to take a look at that and post what they say because the sound for their zoom I have on my video is pretty good.

However, someone writing an easy to understand book on how to zoom could make a few coins.

People ought to share this information.

Thanks for being witnesses to a need bigger than your own.

writerrad - Posted - 08/03/2024:  15:25:44

Good analogy with hearing aids which seems to be a common issue among the 70 and 80 year olds like myself I pick with on and off line.   I will look for the guidelines FH has.   In musical zooms, even though I have nice speakers on my home computer, I usually have all of the sound coming out of the system to some nice studio grade head phones, when I can.  That is a bit more in sync than using the speakers.  

RB-1 - Posted - 08/24/2024:  05:47:20

quote:

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Originally posted by jdeluke137

This is such a growing market now that you’d think some smart young computer guy into audio would seize the opportunity and create something expressly for music teachers with online students!

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This has been achieved and it's called Jamkazam.

We are using this for several years now for our weekly rehearsals and sometimes for teaching.

A 120 miles drive, every Friday, would be prohibitive (considering 1 hour and a half would end you up abroad over here...)